Door and window trim



Jan. l5, 1952 L, BREW DooR AND WINDOW TRIM 2 SHEETS- SHEET l Filed Aug.4, 1948 lummnr INI/EN TOR. l

ATTORNEY Jan. 15,` 1952 Filed Aug. 4, 194s ,I L.. J. BREW DOOR ANDWINDOW TRIM 2 SHEETS-Smm 2 INVENTOR. LEWIS l BREW ATTORNEY Patented Jan.15, 1952 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE .Doon AND wmnow 'mnu Lewis J.' Brew,Rochester, N. Y. eppiicationeugust 4, 194s, sexismo. 42,389

l The lpresemt invention relates tothe trim used in buildings, such asdoor and :window casings. In a more particular `aspect theinventionrelates 4to'metai trim for doors andwindows.

The conventional type `metal trim isot onepece construction. `Itis madeat the factory and so 4shipped 'to the Job. `Convention al metal trimhas, therefore, 'to be placed in the window and door openings before thewalls are lplastered and painted. It has to 'be erected, While heavywork is stili being done on the building. It .has to stand in placewhile wheelbarrows ,are being rolled back and forth and whue scaffoldingand other erection equipment is being Vmoved to and fro. It is veryliable. therefore. to be marred or ented- Moreover, 2when it comes timeto plaster the walls, the plasterer has to 'plaster-up "tothe trim,which naturally handicaps him. He is not able to make free-swingingstrokes; and as a result has difdcultyinproducing a plane surface.Furafter plastering and vpainting aregnished. This prevents the trimfrom 'being damaged during erection of the building, materially reducesthe cost of plastering and painting on 4-a job where metal trim is used,and simplies the work. It eliminates entirely the necessity for cleaningthe trim after plastering and painting of the adjacent walls arecompleted.

Another object of the invention is to Kprovide metal trim which can beshipped in knockdown form and assembled at the vei-ectio'n site byrela'- tively unskilled labor.

7 Claims. (Cl. 18S- 416) lli A further object of the invention is toprovide I metal trim which `can 'be removed Aand salvaged .one hundredper cent, without in any way fvide metal trim lfor 'door openings whichcanlat anytime easily be taken down and `reversecl in the door openingto permit reversal of the direction of swing of the door.

A further .object of the invention is to provide a 'kneckdown type .ogtrimwhich is made oa minimum number ci parts and isfinexpensive.

A sun further object of the invenu'cmis :to

provide knockdown, easily assemblable trim in which connections betweenthe parts will be `concealed `when the trim is in place and whichwillll'ook like conventional one-piece trim when erected.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent 'hereinafterfrom'thespecification and `from the recital of the appended claims.

In "the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective '-view of abortion of a wall 'having yavdooropening therein in which is `-the line 3 -3 of Figo;

Fig. 4 isa view of the casing looking from the right in Fig. 2, partsbeing broken away better `rto show the construction;

Fig. '5 is a detail view on a `'greatly enlarged scale, showing inperspective Athe reinforcing members for the two side parts of thecasing;

Fig. 6 is la perspective view of one of the foot pieces for the casing;

'Fig' 7 lis a 'fragmentary perspective lview looking 'at the back of thetop door-stop or covering strip of the `casing Fig. 8 is a perspectiveview looking at 'the front side of one `of the 'side :door-stop orcovering strips of 'the casing;

' Fig. 9 is a sectional view, similar to Fig. 3, showing' a door casingconstructed according to a modified form lof the present invention; and

' Fig. 10 is a fragmentary elevation with parts broken away, somewhatlike Fig. 4, but showing this modified form of the 'invention.

door `casing constructed according to the present invention is' rnadewith two main sections and withs'trips kwhich cover the adjoining endsvci the main sections. 'The two main sections for "conveniencemay becalled outside and inside lsec-- tions, respectively.' One section seatsagainst one sideandthe other against the other side of the --partitionvwall in which the 'door opening is provided and the two sections arevdrawn together to clamp the casing in the opening.

in Figs. 1 to 4 'inclusive the two main sections are denoted at20 and2i, respectively. These sections are each U-shaped; and each comprises anair of parallel side rails 22 and a connecting top rail "24. `The sideand top'rails of each section are mitered at their adjoining ends andwelded together so that leach section can be handled as one piece.

'The rails may obviouslybe `rolled or stamped to any desired shape incross-section to suit the :style o; architecture selected.: In theembodiment shown, each 4rail `conzipifises anat side 25 from one 'end ofwhich-projects outwardly `a terminal strip 26 and from the other end ofwhich projects inwardly the side wall 21. From the side wall 21 is bentinwardly a flange 28. The flanges 28 of the top and side rails of thetwo sections are adapted to vabut against opposite faces 30 and 3| ofthe partition wall in which the casing is to be mounted. l

Each rail is reinforced at spaced points alon its length by reinforcingstrips such as denoted at (Figs. 3, 4 and 5). These reinforcing stripscomprise strap portions 36 and legs 31 and 38 which project in oppositedirections from the strap portions 3B. Each leg 31 has an abutment strip39 projecting at right angles from it in one direction; and. eachstrapportion 36 has a tongue 40 stamped out of it and bent to project atright angles to the leg 31 of the reinforcing strip in the oppositedirection from abutment strip 39. Each tongue 49 has an elongated slot4| formed therein.. K

, The legs 38 of the reinforcing strips are bent to conform to the shapeof the side walls of the frame sections as shown clearly in Fig. 3, andare spot-welded to the insides of these side walls. The terminalportions 42 of the legs 38 are also preferably bent slightly inwardlyand spotwelded to the insides of anges 28 of the frame sections. Theabutment strips 39 are vspotwelded to the insides of the sides 25 of theframe sections. A very rigid structure is thereby provided. Allspot-welding is done, of course, in the factory when the frame sectionsare being manufactured.

The U-shaped sections 20 and 2| are ordinarily painted at the factoryand shipped in cartons to the iob. After thepartition walls have beenplastered and painted and all the heavy work on the building iscompleted, the novel door or window framing of this invention can beplaced. To do this the workman may drive nails 43 through the slots 4|in the tongues of the reinforcing strips 35 into the studding`45 (Fig.3) to hold each frame section in place.

After the two frame sections 20 and 2| are so held, he will pull themtogether so that their (Fig. 5) in it. To pull the sections 20 and 2|together and clamp them to the partition, the workman drops a bolt 5n inthe notches 44 of registering reinforcing strips 35 of the-sections 29and 2|, puts butterfly nuts 5| on opposite ends of the bolt and rotatesthe bolt.A 'I'he butterfly nuts are held against rotation by engagementwith the reinforcing strips. The bolts 5|) may have polygonal centerportions for easy grip by a wrench. The slots 4| in the tongues 40 ofthe registering reinforcing strips permit adjustment of the framesections while they are 'held to the partition by the nails 43. One mancan, therefore, very easily assemble the fra-me in a door or window.

Ordinarily clamping bolts and butterfly nuts 5| need only be .used inthe reinforcing strips attached to the side rails .of .the framesections to pull the frame sections together. Thetop rail of eachframesection is .welded to the side rails thereof so that when the sidesof the frame sections are pulled together, the tops of the sections willbe pulled together also. If desired, however, bolts 50 and butterflynuts 5| may be used between the reinforcing strips 35 of top rails aswell as of side rails. All the reinforcing strips are made alike forconvenience in manufacture, and the reinforcing strips welded to the toprails of the two. sections of the frame will have notches 44 in themjust like the reinforcing strips welded to the side rails of the twoframe sections.

Obviousl/instead of double-ended bolts, bolts threaded at one end onlymay be employed to pull the frame sections together. Thus, each bolt maybe headed at one end and threaded at the other;A thebolt may be droppedvin aligned notches .44 of registering reinforcing strips 35 with thehead of the bolt seated against the outside of the leg 31 of onereinforcing strip and with a butterfly nut 5| threaded on the oppositeend andseating against the outside of the registering reinforcing strip.By rotating the bolt, then, the two frame sections may be drawntogether. Where a single endedV bolt is used, obviously, also, the boltmay be threaded directly into the leg 31 of one of the two registeringreinforcing strips and this strip need not be notched forvv reception ofthe bolt. Other a1- ternatives will readily suggest themselves to thoseskilled in the art.

After the frame sections are in place, covering strips are placed overthe adjacent ends of the sections to conceal the terminal strips26thereof, bolts 50, studs 45, etc., and to give the completely assembledframe the appearance of a conventional one-piece casing. Separatecovering strips are used for the sides and the top of the frame. Theside covering strips are denoted at and the top covering strip at 56(Figs. 2, 3, 4, '1 and 8).

The side and top covering strips are similar in construction. Each isU-shaped in cross-section and is adapted to be placed over the adjacentends of the frame sections with its fiat part 51 out and its legs 58extending inwardly and enclosingv the terminal strips 26 of the framesec-v tions. The side and top covering strips differ from one anotheronlv in that the top covering' strip 56 has two parallel slots 59 cutinto its iiat part 51 from both ends while each side strip 55 has twotongues 60 bent upwardly from its upper end and is unslotted at eitherend. The tongues 60 of the two side strips 55. respectively, are adaptedtoengage in the slots 59 at the opposite ends, respectively, of the topstrip 56. Corresponding slots 59 at each end of the top strip mayloe-made. as shown in Fig. '7, wide enough to' permit adiustment of theframe members with# out interference.

Spring steel C-clips are welded to the insides of the at portions 51 ofboth the side and top covering strips. These engage the opposed surfacesof terminal strips 26 of the frame sections to resiliently but securelyhold the covering strips in place.

The top covering strip 55 is first put in place by shoving it over theterminal strips 26 of the top rails 24 of the frame sections 20 and 2|.The springs 65'will hold it in place. Then each side lcovering strip 55may be put in place by irst inserting its tongues 60 into one pair ofslots 59 of the top covering strip and then shov- .ing it inwardly tocause its spring clips 65 to engage opposedside surfaces of cooperatingterminal -strips .26 of the-related side rails 22 vof the,- -framesections 20 and 2|. Ijhe springs, 65. willhold the covering strips inassaut place, but, if desired, `each :side 'covering' "strip may, 'inaddition, befastened'by a screw 61 itoan anchor plate (Figs. 2, 4 and 6)by threading the screw into one leg 'Il ofthe anchor plate.

The anchor plates may be fastened tothe floor by screws that passthrough holes l2 lin theplates. The legs 'I3 of the anchor platesarefadapted to abut against the studding .65.

Where the trim of this invention is to be used as a door casing, oneframe section, such as vsection 23, will have hinges 'secured to it onwhich the door VD (Fig. 3) may be hung. The

covering strips and 5t will vthen Vserve as A4a stop, corresponding legs5,8 of the side and vtop covering strips seating against the terminalstrips 2% of frame section 20 for this purpose. The covering strips are,of course, made suiciently wide to allow of any-required adjustment ofthe frame sections while accomplishing their purpose. l

in the modiiication of the invention `shown Figs. 9 and l0, two framesections and cover strips are employed as in the flrst describedembodiment of theinvention, but different means is used for drawing thetwo frame sections to- =f gether to clamp them to the partition wall.'The frame sections and `8l shown in Figs. 9 and 10 are somewhatdiferentin cross-sectional Ashape from the frame sections 20 and 2 I.This simply illustrates that the invention may be used vwith casings ofa wide variety of rolled or stamped shapes and architectural styles.

.Each of the 'frame sections 80 and 3,! has a `flat side 86, from oneend of which the terminal strip Bl projects outwardly and from the othery end of which the side wall 83 projects inwardly. The side wall isflared laterally as denoted vat 89 and from the flared portion thereextends the odset portion 90 which is .parallel to the main portion ofthe side wall but oiset therefrom. A flange portion 9| extends at -rightangles to offset portion 90 of vthe side wall and a terminal abuttingstrip 92 extends at rightv angles to the flange portion.

To the inside surfaces of the side walls 88 vof the side rails of theframe sections there are fastened at spaced intervals right angularshaped metal strips do `which constitute metal jamb hook eyes. One legof each of these straps `is spotwelded, or otherwise secured to the sidewall 88 of a frame section. The holes 95 in these hook eyes are adaptedto receive the downwardly projecting legs 9S of U-shaped metal hookclamps tot, the legs of each clamp vengaging `in the holes ciregistering 'hook eyes. legs SS of each hook clamp are inclined anddiverge downwardly from one another, so that the hook clamp is drivendownwardly in -a pair of hook eyes by a hammer, awedging effect will beobtained and the two frame sections will he pulled together to clamp`opposite sides of the partition wall which are denoted at |05 and it,respectively. The insides of the legs te may also be serrated as shownin Fig. l0 to improve the gripping action of these legs on .the hookeyes. l

terminal strips 8T of the frame sections to .con-

The .insides of the appended claims.

ceall -'the terminal' strips 18j, hook clamps, etc., and .to give thecasing a :finished appearance. `The covering .strips are heldin place byspring steel clips H0, *similar 'to the `clips 6E used in thedist-described embodiment of the invention kand spotfwelded to theinsides of the` covering strips. These `clips engage .opposed surfacesof .terminal strips -81 and resiliently but securely Ahold the coveringstrips in position. The covering strips `85 serve as a stop when thecasing is lused as a door frame.

With either embodiment of the invention it will be seen that the trimcan be erected after mastering and painting has been done and withoutdamage to either. l

' Furthermore, with either embodiment of the invention the trim can beremoved at any time without damage to the trim or to the walls. The.screws at the bottoms of the side rails can be removed; and the screwdriver can then be inserted under the edges oi each covering strip topryit ci the frame sections. This is a simple task since 'the .coveringstrips are then only held by spring clips 65 or H0. After the coveringstrips are removed the bolts 50 can be loosened .and lifted out of thenotches 4d of the reinforcing strips 35 and the nails 43 drawn in thecase of the embodiment shown in Figs. l to 8 inclusive, or the nails |01can be drawn and the hook clamps l0!) driven up to release the framesections in the case of the `mooliication shown in Figs. 9 and lo. Ineither instance, it is a matter lof a few minutes work to remove thetrim; and the trim can be salvaged .It it is desired to change thedirection of swing ci a door this can be done readily by removing theframe sections from the door opening, ,reversing them, and reclampingthem in the opening. The trim of the present invention,

. there, vis flexible iii-adaptation, easy to erect or dismantle, vandpermits of considerable saving in time and cost of erection.

While the invention has been described as applied to metal trim it willbe understood that it nection with certain specific embodiments thereof.it is capable of further modification, and this application is intendedto cover any variations, uses. or adaptations of the inventionfollowing, in general, the Iprinciples of the invention and includingsuch departures from the present disclosure as come within known orcustomary practice in lthe art to whichfthe invention pertains and asmay be applied to the essential features herenbei'ore set forth and as'fall within the vscope of .the invention or the limits Vof the `Havingthus .described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A casing for an opening in a wall of a building Acomprising a pair ofopposed frame members which are adapted to embrace 4opposite faces oi*the wall varound the edge of the opening, each ci `which hase. terminaledge adapted to abut against a face of the vwall adjacent the opening, aportion `adapted to entend generally parallel to the wall in spacedrelation'therete, a portion projecting inwardly from the last-namedportion beyond said terminal edge a terminal edge strip projecting kfromthe last-named por- Htion Ain a ydirection 'away from the face of the"wall `that ibounds *saidA opening andz in '1.a directiongenerallyparallel to theiiirst-named portion the terminal edge strips ofthe two frame members being parallel and spaced from one another whenthe frame members are mounted in position, means for drawing the framemembers bodily toward one another to clamp them to the wall about theopening, and a covering member which is of U-shape in cross-section andwhich, when in position, encloses the terminal edge strips of the twoframe members with said strips lying within its leg portions and withthe inside of one of its leg portions abutting against one of theterminal edge strips,` said covering member having iiexible strapssecured to its inside surface at spaced intervals to engage the opposedfaces of said terminal edge strips to hold the covering memberresiliently in position.

2. A casing for an opening in the wall of a building comprising a pairofY opposed framey members which are adapted to embrace opposite sidefaces of the wall around the opening, each of which has an edge which isadapted to abut against one side face of the wall, a side portionadapted to extend generally in the direction of a side face of the wallbut in spaced relation thereto, a portion which is adapted to extendinwardly of the wall opening beyond said edge, and a terminal edge stripwhich projects from the last-named portion in a direction away from the'wall face bounding said opening, the terminal edge strips of the twoframe members being parallel and spaced from one another when the framemembers are mounted in position, a plurality of reinforcing memberssecured in linearly spaced relation to the inside of each frame member,each reinforcing member having a portion which contacts with andreinforces the side portion of the frame member, a portion which extendsparallel to the inwardly extending portion of the frame member but isspaced therefrom, a portion perpendicular thereto, and twor portionsprojecting perpendicularly in opposite directions from saidperpendicular portion, one of said two last-named portions contactingand reinforcing the inwardly extending portion of the frame member; andthe other of said two last-named portions being adapted to seat againstthe wall face bounding the opening when the frame members are inposition, reinforcing members of the two frame members being alignedwhen the frame members are in position, means engaging alignedreinforcing members of the two frame members to draw the two framemembers together, a covering member' which encloses the terminal edgestrips of the two frame members when in position, and means for resil-.iently holding the covering member inposition.

'-3. A casing for an opening in the wallof a building comprising a pairof opposed frame members which are adapted to embrace opposite sidefaces of the wall around the opening, each of which has an edge which isadapted to abut against one side face of the wall, a side portionadapted to extend generally in the direction of a side face of the wallbut in spaced `relation thereto', a portion which is adapted to extendinwardly of the wall opening beyond said. edge, and a terminal edgestrip which projects from the last-named portion in a direction awayfrom the wall face bounding said opening, the terminal edge strips ofthe two frame members being parallel and spaced from one another whenfthe frame members are mounted -in position, a plurality of reinforcingmembers secured in linearly spaced relation to the inside of each framemember, each reinforcing member having a portion `which contacts withand reinforces the side portion of the frame member, a portion whichextends parallel to the inwardly extending portion of the frame memberbut is spaced therefrom, a portion perpendicular thereto, and twoportions projecting perpendicularly in opposite directions from saidperpendicular portion, one of said two last-named portions contactingand reinforcing the inwardly extending portion of the frame member, andthe other of said two last-named portions being adapted to seat againstthe wall face bounding the opening when the frame members are inposition, reinforcing members of the two frame members being alignedwhen the frame members are in position, means engaging the first-namedperpendicular portions of aligned reinforcing members of the two framemembers which is manipulable through the space between the terminal edgestrips of the two frame members to draw the frame members together toclamp them to the wall, a covering member which covers the space betweenthe terminals edge strips of the two frame members when in position, andmeans for resiliently holding said covering member in position. l

4. A casing for an opening in the wall of a building comprising a pairof opposed frame members which are adapted to embrace opposite sidefaces of the wall around the opening, each of which has an edge which isadapted to abut against one side face of the wall, a side portionadapted to extend generally in the direction of a side face of the wallbut in spaced relation thereto, a portion which is adapted .to extendinwardly of the wall opening beyond said edge, and a terminal edge stripwhich projects from the last-named portion in a direction away from thewall face bounding said opening, the terminal edge strips of the twoframe members being parallel and spaced from one another when the framemembers are mounted in position, a plurality of reinforcing memberssecured in linearly spaced relation to the inside of each frame member,each reinforcing member having a portion which contacts with andreinforces the side portion of the frame member, a portion which extendsparallel to the inwardly extending portion of the frame member but isspaced therefrom, a portion perpendicular thereto, and two portionsprojecting perpendicularly in opposite directions from saidperpendicular portion, one of said two last-named portions contactingand reinforcing the inwardly extending portion vof the frame member, andthe other of said two last-named portions being adapted to seat againstthe wall face bounding the opening when the frame members are inposition, reinforcing members'of the two frame members being alignedwhen the frame members vare in position, means engaging the first-namedperpendicular portions of aligned reinforcing members of the two framemembers to draw the frame members together to clamp them to the wall, acovering member which covers vthe space between the terminal edge stripsof the two frame members when in. position, and

means for resiliently-holding the covering member in position, saidcovering member being U- shaped in cross-section and having one of itsleg portions abutting against the outside surface -oftheterminal stripof one lframe member to 4formv a stop for a door hinged -to saidroneframe member. A

5. A casing for an opening in a wall of a building comprising a, pair ofopposed frame members which are adapted to embrace opposite faces of thewall around the edge of the opening, each of said frame members havingan edge which is adapted to abut against one side face of the wall, aside portion which is adapted to extend generally in the direction of aside face of the wall, a portion which is adapted to extend inwardlybeyond said edge, a terminal edge strip which projects from thelast-named portion in a direction away from the wall face bounding saidopening and generally parallel to said side portion, and a seatingportion which is adapted to seat against the portion of the wall whichbounds the opening, a plurality of bolts which have threads of diierenthands at opposite ends, nuts which engage said threaded portions, saidbolts having gripping portions intermediate their ends for manipulatingthem through the space between registering terminal strips of the framemembers, a covering member which, when in position covers the spacebetween the terminal edge strips of the two frame members, and means forresiliently holding the covering member in position.

6. A casing for an opening in a wall of a building comprising a pair ofopposed frame members which are adapted to embrace opposite faces of thewall around the edge of the opening, each of said frame members havingan edge which is adapted to abut against one side face of the wall, aside portion which extends generally in the direction of the wallopening when the frame members are in position, a portion extendinginwardly, and a terminal edge strip which projects from the last-namedportion in a direction away from the wall face bounding said opening andgenerally parallel to said side portion, the terminal edge strips of thetwo frame members being spaced from one another when the frame membersare mounted in position, each frame member having a plurality of hookeyes secured to the inside of its side portion, U-shaped clampingmembers whose legs are adapted to be engaged in registering hook eyes ofthe two frame members, said U-shaped clamping members having the insidesof their legs diverging from one another toward their ends, a cover- 10ing member which encloses the terminal strips of the two frame memberswhen in position, and means for securing the covering member inposition.

7. A casing for an opening in a wall of a building comprising a pairofopposed frame members which are adapted to embrace opposite faces ofthe Wall around the edge of the opening, each of said frame membershaving a pair of parallel side rails and a connecting top rail and eachrail being shaped to have an edge that is adapted to abut against oneface of the wall, a side portion which is adapted to extend generally inthe direction of said face when the frame members are in position, a,portion extending inwardly from the side portion beyond said edge, and aterminal strip projecting from the inwardly extending portion in adirection away from-the wall face that bounds said opening and in adirection generally parallel to said side portion, means for drawing thetwo frame members bodily toward one another to clamp the wall, acovering member for the side rails of the two frame members and acovering member for the top rails of the frame members, each coveringmember being of U-shape in cross-section and enclosing, when inposition, the two terminal strips of the pair of rails with which it isused with one of its legs abutting against one terminal strip so as toserve as a stop, and means for holding the several covering members inposition, the top and side covering members having interengaging tonguesand slots at their contiguous portions so as to interlock them together.

LEWIS J BREW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,340,161 Elliott May 18, 19201,606,780 Zahner et al Nov. 16, 1926 1,966,666 Grimes July 17, 19341,995,764 Bohnsack Mar. 26, 1935 2,092,411 Anderson Sept. 7, 19372,219,714 Sperry Oct. 29, 1940

